When your rivals have to accept your work, even if grudgingly, you know your policies have hit the right notes. In a surprising, but not entirely unexpected move, Ex Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit admitted that Narendra Modi’s anti terror policy is much better than that of ex PM Manmohan Singh’s.

Sheila Dikshit, a notable Congress leader, recently gave an interview to popular journalist Vir Sanghvi for the CNN – News 18 channel. During the conversation, when asked by the journalist on whether PM Modi’s anti terror policy stood ground, Sheila Dikshit said, “Manmohan Singh, yes, I agree with you, was not as strong as and as determined as he (Modi) is. But there is also a feeling that he is doing it all for politics.”

Though she later clarified that her statement was taken out of context and the comments were carefully twisted, the damage had already been done. At a time, when Congress wishes to portray itself as a united force under the leadership of the current Congress President Rahul Gandhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, such revelations only expose the distrust for him even within the party itself.

Moreover, Sheila Dixit, even if grudgingly, isn’t far from the truth either. The entire UPA era is living proof of how some people could jeopardize the security of the entire nation for the sake of minority appeasement. Incessant terror attacks, followed by negligible action against the minds behind the same, had made UPA’s anti terror policy a laughing stock around the world.

We’re no strangers to how the previous government had built the entire hoax of ‘Saffron Terror’ in order to shield the actual culprits of terror attacks on the Samjhauta Express, Malegaon etc. The way they tried to shield the culprits behind the unfortunate death of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, AC in the infamous Batla House Encounter is nothing less than disgusting. Therefore it came as no surprise when ex IAF chief Fali H. Major revealed that the UPA was offered a chance to avenge 26/11 on the same lines as done recently, but was rejected flatly by the Manmohan Singh government.

On the other hand, one of the main reasons why PM Modi was elected to his current post was his unapologetic stance on any kind of terrorism, whether from outside or within. Ever since he assumed power, he gave the armed forces and the paramilitary a free hand to deal with any kind of terror attacks. Be it the cross border surgical strikes by the armed forces in 2015 and 2016, or defeating Chinese bullies without engaging in military action at Doklam, or even the recent air strike by the IAF on Pakistani terror camps, PM Modi’s anti terror policy has been crystal clear: Hit them where it hurts.

Even in crucial times like the captivity of IAF pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan, who had shot down an invading Pakistani F 16 fighter jet, PM Modi led NDA government displayed remarkable finesse by refusing to allow the captive pilot to be used by Pakistan as a tool for bargaining. As a result, within days of the pilot being captured, Pakistan was forced to release him. As such, even if she had a slip of tongue, Sheila Dixit had stated the absolute truth, which is clearly not good news for the Congress.